Former Barcelona striker questions Gabriel Jesus’ signing: ‘He is a stopgap option’

Former Barcelona striker Jean Marie Dongou has expressed doubts about the long-term value of Gabriel Jesus' signing, describing him as a temporary stopgap option rather than the elite center-forward the club truly needs. Dongou acknowledges Jesus' potential to contribute goals and provide another useful attacking option for Hansi Flick, but believes the €10 million transfer is a temporary solution.

Barcelona had been pursuing Julian Alvarez before settling on Jesus, but Dongou expects the search for a permanent striker to continue, either in the summer or in January. He believes Flick can help Jesus regain his form from his time at City and Arsenal, but doubts the Brazilian can compete against Europe's top sides in the Champions League.

Dongou remains confident in Barcelona's attacking structure, underlining that whoever plays through the middle will score goals, though he questions the team's readiness to compete against the best sides. He advocates for Barcelona to continue seeking top-tier talent instead of settling for players who merely contribute, emphasizing that La Masía provides young talent for the club's future needs.